I am new to JT65 and had my 24 foot ground mounted vertical lowered (with the DXE tilt mount) due to the wind but wanted to see if my signal would get out anyway. So I tuned the lowered vertical which was now a 24 foot horizontal about 1 foot parallel with the ground and sent out a JT 65 CQ with 1 watt. I did not have any responses but I checked on HamSpots.net and saw that my signal was copied from my east coast rig into SD, MT, AZ, and TX to name a few. I guess it shows the power of T65 to copy very weak signals. Just wanted to share this.

I did a demonstration of JT65-HF to my local ham club. We're in Vancouver BC. The "antenna" was a 20m dipole, stretched over bushes 3' off the ground, and close to an aluminum-siding building. We were running about 20 watts.

The signal was heard in New Zealand, according to reverse-beacon websites. It's a really neat mode.

I am new to JT65 and had my 24 foot ground mounted vertical lowered (with the DXE tilt mount) due to the wind but wanted to see if my signal would get out anyway. So I tuned the lowered vertical which was now a 24 foot horizontal about 1 foot parallel with the ground and sent out a JT 65 CQ with 1 watt. I did not have any responses but I checked on HamSpots.net and saw that my signal was copied from my east coast rig into SD, MT, AZ, and TX to name a few. I guess it shows the power of T65 to copy very weak signals. Just wanted to share this.

I love checking Ham Spots to see who is copying my JT65 signal. I sometimes turn the power down to 1 watts or less and call CQ. Sometimes no one answers but when I check my spots I am being copied! And it always amazes me the distances that I am covering with 1 watt or less.

For apartment dwellers and those with HOA restrictions I think JT65 would be a great mode for them to work. Sure there is no rag chewing involved but at least they would be making contacts around the world.

Today I worked another station in Ontario. He is located about 100 miles from me. Worked him on 12 meters. Had to be ground wave, I doubt there was any signal bouncing going on there.

I have been operating JT65 since the spring of 2011 and have well over 1600 Eqsl confirmations for this mode. Not everyone I work uses Eqsl, so I have likely logged over 2000 + contacts with JT65.

I have a home brewed 2 element yagi up for 12 Meters. The beam is only 26 feet off the ground mounted on two sections of tower that are attached to the peak of my storage shed.

I was calling CQ on an afternoon when the band seemed to be dead. I had not heard on signal of any type on the band when I tuned up and down. I had the beam pointed SE ( I am in SW Ontario) and out of no where a ZL station appeared and answered my CQ. I could not see any trace on the waterfall or hear any of the transmission audio from the ZL. The contacted was completed with decent reports back and forth. I put that ZL's call on the cluster and guys came out of the woodwork to work him.

Simply put, this is an amazing mode and every day I see more and more stations appearing in the decode box. After using the mode as long as I have you get to know the calls, especially on 40 and 80 meters. And there are more and more hams who are now using this mode. When I first got started I did not see a lot of different calls on 40, now I see lots of different calls.

Well, I do not have any antennas up...yet. In fact all my rigs were in a spare bedroom. So, I installed the JT65 software and added my Call and Grid Square. OK, now what? So I brought my TS940SAT up to my computer (Jeeze that rig is heavy) and stuffed a hunk of wire into the antenna jack! Next I put the Computer Mic next to the rigs speaker and tuned 10M. I did not hear much of anything, but several stations decoded! So, I looked at my box of antenna stuff still packed from when we moved up here (Oregon) from CA and found a dipole that I must have cut to take it down from CA. It was now good for about 32MHZ! OK, found a 100' hunk of Coax and hung the dipole in an "L" 10 feet from the rig. I then connected my MC85 Mic to the rig and had a perfect "Air Interface". I called CQ on JT65 and only used about 10 watts as RF was getting into my Computer.

I got an answer from NM. Next JA came back to me. Then I played with an "L" on 15M and got KL8 in Denali.

I will put my antennas up again, but JT65 was fun for a quick "test". I guess the "test" was a success!

5 watts from an FT817 to a Miracle Whip antenna mounted on the back of the rig. In my house in the bonus room/office. Working coast to coast on 20, and being heard in ZL land. I was not even expecting to make a QSO with this minimal setup, especially when it is all indoors. Incredible.

Well, I do not have any antennas up...yet. In fact all my rigs were in a spare bedroom. So, I installed the JT65 software and added my Call and Grid Square. OK, now what? So I brought my TS940SAT up to my computer (Jeeze that rig is heavy) and stuffed a hunk of wire into the antenna jack! Next I put the Computer Mic next to the rigs speaker and tuned 10M. I did not hear much of anything, but several stations decoded! So, I looked at my box of antenna stuff still packed from when we moved up here (Oregon) from CA and found a dipole that I must have cut to take it down from CA. It was now good for about 32MHZ! OK, found a 100' hunk of Coax and hung the dipole in an "L" 10 feet from the rig. I then connected my MC85 Mic to the rig and had a perfect "Air Interface". I called CQ on JT65 and only used about 10 watts as RF was getting into my Computer.

I got an answer from NM. Next JA came back to me. Then I played with an "L" on 15M and got KL8 in Denali.

I will put my antennas up again, but JT65 was fun for a quick "test". I guess the "test" was a success!

I too am constantly amazed at how many folks can hear my little FT817 and very modest antennas. For me, being "hearing challenged", JT65A has been a real blessing - as are all the digital modes. I sometimes even go down to 160m and have made contacts extending as far as the east and west coast from my QTH in Texas!

My HOA has antenna restrictions that keep me in a very low profile. But, since I started using JT-65, the lack of quality antennas no longer seems to matter. I have worked DX across the world from hidden mobile whips and 30 watts. I have tried other modes including CW but keep coming back to JT-65 as the mode that is the equalizer for me. If my signals are heard from Moscow to South Africa, then all I need is to wait for more DX opportunities to come my way. All other modes and my HOA forced limits become barriers.

people you are making me smile. this is exactly the news i wanted to hear. am in an apartment and will need to settle for no external antenna, and low power, and RF noise from neighbors. if i can do JT-65 with all those restrictions. life will be awesome.

first goal is just functionality with a cheap radio. suppose i should get a signalink device?

next goal is mobile functionality. likely will need a cheap netbook. fun fun

people you are making me smile. this is exactly the news i wanted to hear. am in an apartment and will need to settle for no external antenna, and low power, and RF noise from neighbors. if i can do JT-65 with all those restrictions. life will be awesome.

first goal is just functionality with a cheap radio. suppose i should get a signalink device?

next goal is mobile functionality. likely will need a cheap netbook. fun fun

Others might say no you do not need a SignaLink USB. I say get one. it makes operating so simple. You can now order the USB model with a plug in module for most of the popular radios. It just plugs into the board on the SignaLink USB, no messing with the tiny wires from pin to pin on the board.

I have had my SingaLink USB since Sept. 2007, no problems with it at all.

people you are making me smile. this is exactly the news i wanted to hear. am in an apartment and will need to settle for no external antenna, and low power, and RF noise from neighbors. if i can do JT-65 with all those restrictions. life will be awesome.

first goal is just functionality with a cheap radio. suppose i should get a signalink device?

next goal is mobile functionality. likely will need a cheap netbook. fun fun

Read my post, above, regarding my "air interface".

This is a no cost way to see what you can copy...and even try a cq with a 2nd mic (and more than a hunk of wire)! I connected a 10M dipole in an "L" config. It worked so well, that I made one for 15M. Of course, I will buy a real interface, but wanted to see if it worked at all!

next goal is mobile functionality. likely will need a cheap netbook. fun fun

One of the things that makes JT65A operation easier and more enjoyable is a processor that's fast enough to decode the past minute's signals in a second or two. The faster the processing, the more time you have to decide what to do before the start of the next minute. Make sure that the cheap netbook you have your eye on has enough oomph to decode signals quickly.

next goal is mobile functionality. likely will need a cheap netbook. fun fun

One of the things that makes JT65A operation easier and more enjoyable is a processor that's fast enough to decode the past minute's signals in a second or two. The faster the processing, the more time you have to decide what to do before the start of the next minute. Make sure that the cheap netbook you have your eye on has enough oomph to decode signals quickly.

when you say FAST ENOUGH can you quantify that? running WIN7 is pretty fast and stable. thinking 2.5ghz multicore processor is a minimal?

Copyright 2000-2017 eHam.net, LLC
eHam.net is a community web site for amateur (ham) radio operators around the world.
Contact the site with comments or questions.
WEBMASTER@EHAM.NETSite Privacy Statement